The Indian tour of the Caribbean scheduled for next year must go on if the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is to get our cricket out of the doldrums.
Over this column I will attempt to explain what I meant by that first statement. Currently the Indians have no interest in any bi-lateral relations with the WICB and this is because of the ill-advised aborted tour of India last October. The West Indies team led by Dwayne Bravo boycotted the tour after a payment structure dispute with the WICB.
It has left the regional cricket body with a bill in the region of US$41.97M and also no bi-lateral relations with the financial powerhouse of cricket. The Indians are carded to play four Test matches in the Caribbean next year. This, if it comes off, is expected to net the WICB a very sizable profit.
The Indians want their money and they are sticking to the fact that they don't want any bi-lateral relations. Here comes a situation where the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) can be caught in a very dicey situation. If they fail to tour the West Indies, then the WICB may not be able to pay back that money for many, many years to come. If they do tour, then the WICB will be in a position to repay the funds and keep afloat.
Speaking about staying afloat, the WICB has implemented a number of measures to improve our cricket and these measures of course needs proper funding to get the desired results. Let's take a look at the franchise system. While a number of people have shared negative views about it, I think it is one of the best things that has happen to West Indies cricket in a while. Here is a situation where players outside the Test players are given some kind of financial stability and now they can focus on cricket, rather than having to look for a job and then apply and hope to get time off for cricket.
In addition to this, the players are now around a professional set up for the entire year and this is bound to have a positive impact on not only their cricket but their lives as a whole.
The WICB has promised to foot the bill for the six franchises for the first four years of its life. Given current situation with the global economy and sponsorship hard to come by, the entire system could collapse if the franchises can't get bought. If the WICB is able to stay afloat financially they can prop up this very vital league until such time that the franchises can go it alone.
If India fails to tour, it would push West Indies cricket further back and the region cannot afford that right now. Currently the Indians are embroiled in bacchanal as far as their elections are concerned and they will not sit and talk to the WICB until they have elections and a leader in place.
What is even more worrying is the fact that the longer it takes for the WICB and the BCCI to sit down and work out a plan, it gives the former less time in order to get a replacement team to come to the Caribbean if the Indians refuse.
This could lead to further losses and even more debts being incurred by the WICB. The WICB marketing committee needs a shot in the arm in my opinion and they have to find ways to bring in investors despite the fact that the world is in recession and also the team is not that attractive anymore. It is a tough job for the best of people but as Theodore Roosevelt said: "It is hard to fail but it is worst to have never tried to succeed."
West Indies cricket is at its lowest ebb at the moment but there is a silver lining and I am seeing the WICB putting measures in place that can pay off handsomely for our cricket. They are of course making mistakes as they go along but I think in time to come we will see that most of the measures will become fruitful.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) can't sit by and allow this West Indies/India situation to remain hanging. The ICC has to protect the game and if it means getting involved in matters between two big members then so be it.
The BCCI in my opinion is a runaway train and they need to be roped in. Whether the ICC has the courage to do that, it's another matter but they need to get involved now. I am also looking at the future of India and Pakistan and the BCCI seems to have severed ties with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as well. One is left to ask the question. "Who's next?"